1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sample analyzers in which a plurality of measurement units of different types are connected to each other by means of a transporting apparatus.
2. Disclosure of Related Art
There are known analyzers which detect the liquid amount of a sample by using a sensor before the sample is aspirated, and in which when the detected liquid amount is not sufficient for a liquid amount necessary for analysis of the sample, aspiration of the sample is stopped.
Further, in recent years, analyzers in which a plurality of measurement units of different types are connected to each other by means of a transporting apparatus are commercially available. Each measurement unit of such an analyzer is provided with an aspiration tube, and in the analyzer, a sample container is sequentially transported from an upstream measurement unit to a downstream measurement unit, and the sample is aspirated by each aspiration tube.
However, in a case where an analyzer having a liquid amount confirming function is applied to each of the plurality of measurement units connected to each other as mentioned above, when the liquid amount of the sample is sufficient for measurement performed by the most-upstream measurement unit but is not sufficient for measurement performed by a downstream measurement unit, the sample is aspirated by the most-upstream measurement unit and the sample having a remaining very small amount is transported to a downstream measurement unit. In such a case, there is a possibility that measurement by the downstream measurement unit cannot be performed, resulting in requirement of obtaining the sample again.